Louis Moreau GOTTSCHALK (1829-1869)
Le banjo, Op. 15 (1854) [3:56]
The Last Hope, Op. 16 (1854) [8:14]
Pasquinade, Op. 59 (1869) [4:22]
Berceuse (Cradle Song), Op. 47 (1860) [5:31]
Grande fantaisie triomphale sur l'hymne national brésilien, Op. 69 (1869) [10:27]
Le songe d'une nuit d'été, Op. 9 (1849) [4:06]
Fantôme de bonheur (Illusions perdues), Op. 36 (1859-1860) [8:44]
Reflets du passé – Réverie, Op. 28 (1847) [6:47]
Symphonie romantique: La nuit des tropiques – Andante (1858/2013) (arr. Mayer) [12:50]*
Steven Mayer (piano)
rec. 2014, American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, USA
Pdf booklet included
*World premiere recording
Reviewed as a 24/96 download
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559693 [64:57]
One of my most treasured ‘finds’ of recent
years is the music of the ‘Creole Chopin’, Louis Moreau
Gottschalk. A travelling performer and composer of prodigious talent
he died far too young; at least he left a fairly substantial musical
legacy, much of which is contained in Philip Martin’s 8-CD box
of solo piano pieces (review).
That Hyperion set – magnificently played and recorded –
is the cornerstone of any self-respecting Gottschalk collection; indeed,
Martin’s traversal is the benchmark against which all rivals must
be judged.
There are other recordings to consider, among them one from Cecile
Licad and a heart-lifting twofer from Alan Marks and Nerine Barrett
(review).
As for the orchestral music A night in the tropics, it's included
on a CD from the delightfully titled Hot Springs Festival Symphony under
Joshua Rosenberg (review).
Now we have this new release from Steven Mayer, a pianist and teacher
who’s said to be just as adept at Art Tatum as he is at Mozart,
Liszt and Ives.
Le banjo, subtitled Fantaisie grotesque, is one of
Gottschalk’s cleverest creations. In it he expertly mimics the
sound of the instrument in writing that’s as astonishing as it
is exuberant. Although Mayer plays it reasonably well his phrasing isn't
as natural as, say, Martin’s, and he seems a tad self-conscious
at times. That said, I still found myself grinning at Gottschalk’s
audacity and skill. The balance is fair to middling, but the Naxos sound
is rather dry compared with the liquid loveliness of Hyperion’s.
Also, the treble isn’t as clean and clear, which is particularly
noticeable in Le banjo.
The Last Hope, subtitled Méditation religeuse, can
seem lachrymose at times, but Mayer is commendably clear-eyed throughout.
Trouble is, he’s measured with it, and that deprives the piece
of essential lift and character. Then there’s the question of
phrasing in Pasquinade, in which Mayer is far less fluid than
either Martin or Marks. The latter is heart melting here, a description
one could hardly apply to Mayer’s unyielding account of the piece.
Happily Mayer’s Cradle Song is much more to my liking,
although he doesn’t quite capture the composer’s gentle
spirit. Not only that, there’s little of the telling nuance or
affection that makes the Marks version so utterly beguiling. Also, there's
a curiously dulled quality to the Naxos sound that, together with the
occluded treble, robs the music of transparency and sparkle.
Gottschalk’s fantasy on the Brazilian national anthem is more
extrovert, and Mayer does convey something of its grandiosity. I remain
frustrated, though, by his lack of spontaneity - of sharp-eyed irreverence
- which, to the newcomer at least, might suggest competence rather than
flair. As if that weren’t dispiriting enough, the piece loses
momentum and interest early on. I’m afraid the remaining items
– the last of which is Mayer’s arrangement of the Andante
from A night in the tropics – are just as disappointing.
Anyone familiar with Martin’s unstoppable energy and general joie
de vivre will surely find Mayer’s performances much too literal
and humourless; also, the latter’s unvaried programme is poorly
chosen, and that sells this vivid and versatile composer short.
Lacklustre performances and sound; Mayer’s Gottschalk is no match
for the best in the catalogue.
Dan Morgan
twitter.com/mahlerei
